An online petition calling for a public inquiry to be held into changes made to the State Pension age for women born in the 1950s has passed the 10,000 signature threshold and is now entitled to a written response from the UK Government.
30.04.2024 - 14:05 / dailyrecord.co.uk
The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the State Pension currently provides regular financial support for nearly 12.7 million older people across the country, including over one million retirees living in Scotland. This payment is available for those who have reached the UK Government’s eligible retirement age, which is currently 66 for men and women, and have paid at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance Contributions.
Many people approaching the official retirement age this year may not be aware that this contributory benefit, now worth up to £221.20 each week, is not paid automatically by the DWP and needs to be claimed. They also might not realise that payments can be made weekly, fortnightly or every four weeks.
One of the members of the Daily Record Money Saving Scotland Facebook group shared that the different payment methods will only be offered if you make your State Pension claim over the phone. She said if you apply online, it will automatically default to payments every four weeks.
The member said: “When you get your ‘invite’ to claim for your pension and you apply online, you'll receive your pension every four weeks, however, if you call DWP (phone number is given on the letter) then you can ask to be paid weekly or fortnightly instead. When I called them the staff member wanted me to apply online but I said I preferred to speak with someone to state my payment preference.”
DWP guidance on GOV.UK states: “You do not get your State Pension automatically - you have to claim it. You should get a letter no later than two months before you reach State Pension age, telling you what to do.”
It then clarifies you can either claim your State Pension or delay (defer) claiming
An online petition calling for a public inquiry to be held into changes made to the State Pension age for women born in the 1950s has passed the 10,000 signature threshold and is now entitled to a written response from the UK Government.
Sir Stephen Timms, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, has written to Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride, following an oral evidence session last week with the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) Campaign and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) on the findings in its final report into changes made to the State Pension age for millions of women born in the 1950s.
More than 59,500 people have signed an online petition calling for a ‘universal’ weekly State Pension payment of nearly £550 to bring into line with the National Living Wage. Petition creator Michael Thompson also suggests making the option to claim State Pension available to everyone from the age of 60 - six years lower than the current official age of retirement of 66.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that at the end of August 2023, more than 1.5 million older people were receiving additional financial support through Attendance Allowance, including over 136,200 living in Scotland. This is a significant increase of 36,061 on the number of people claiming the non-means tested benefit in the previous quarter, ending in May 2023.
The next bank holiday takes place on May 27 which means some people will receive their scheduled State Pension or benefit payment early. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has already published updated payment date details for Tax Credits and Child Benefit, while the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Social Security Scotland are expected to announce similar changes soon.
The Scottish Government will replace Winter Fuel Payments with a new devolved lump sum later this year. Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) is set to be provided on a like-for-like basis to its Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) counterpart and paid to everyone over the State Pension age every year.
A new online petition is calling for all people over the official age of retirement (66) to be paid the New State Pension weekly rate of £221.20, some £884.80 every four-week pay period. At present, those who reached retirement age before April 6, 2016 are only eligible for the Basic State Pension, which is worth up to £169.50 each week, some £678 every pay period.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently confirmed that millions of people claiming Universal Credit will see the annual uprating reflected in their monthly payments from Tuesday, May 14, however, some will have to wait until June 13 to receive the higher amount in their bank account.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that new rule changes for around 180,000 people in part-time work claiming Universal Credit will start on May 13. Those working less than half of a full-time week will have to meet their work coach more often to boost their earnings.
More than 8,500 people have signed an online petition calling for a public inquiry to be held into changes made to the State Pension age for women. Petition creator Kay Clarke argues that increases to the State Pension age have left many women in “financial and mental despair” and believes that an inquiry “is necessary to expose the truth”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has told MPs that he “understands the strong feelings” across Parliament over the lack of response to the recently published Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s (PHSO) final report into the impact of changes to the State Pension age for women born in the 1950s. During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, he acknowledged the “desire for urgency in addressing them” but added that an update “will be given to the House once those findings have been fully considered”.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the State Pension is providing essential financial support for nearly 12.7 million people across Great Britain, including more than one million living in Scotland. This regular payment is now worth up to £221.20 per week for those on the New State Pension (claimed after April 6, 2016), or £169.50 each week for the Basic State Pension (Category A or B).
Hundreds of thousands of older women are due to receive a letter from HM Revenue and Customs letting them know their National Insurance (NI) record may contain missing periods of Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) which in turn has affected the level of Basic or New State Pension they are entitled to. The Treasury started issuing these letters in September last year and is working with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to correct any administration errors as quickly as possible.
More than one million people over State Pension age can expect to receive a series of one-off payments worth up to £367 this year from the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). None of these payments are due to arrive until November at the earliest, but it’s important to be aware of how much to expect and when.
More than 1.5 million older people claiming Attendance Allowance are set for a significant income boost this year now that the annual Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uprating has been applied. On top of the 6.7 per cent increase, both the New and Basic State Pension have risen by 8.5 per cent.
The latest Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures indicate that fraud and error in the benefit system is falling after the UK Government restated its determination to drive levels down further and protect taxpayers’ money. The most-recent national statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, fraud and error rates fell to 3.6 per cent (£8.3 billion) from 4.0 per cent (£8.7 billion) - figures for 2023/24 are due to be published next month.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has been in the spotlight since Prime Minister Rishi Sunak first shone a light on proposed welfare reforms for benefits delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last month.
MSPs have backed the Scottish Government’s call for “compensation in full” to be paid to women impacted by changes to their State Pension age. In a Holyrood debate on Wednesday, the Scottish Parliament voted by 75 votes to zero, with 52 abstentions, which included Scottish Labour.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has said that he can “rule out” raising the State Pension age to fund the UK Government’s plan to abolish National Insurance (NI) contributions, but added that the policy will take “a number of Parliaments” to achieve. His comments came just hours after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak assured MPs that State Pension payments would not be cut to fund his ambition to scrap NI contributions.
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